Simulated hockey game board



1956 H. KNAPP SIMULATED HOCKEY GAME BOARD Filed May 21, 1954' IN V EN TOR.

a. p. e WM m W n a WM Z 2,769,638 1C6 Patented Nov. 6, 1956 SIMULATED HOCKEY GAME BOARD Lester H. Knapp, Albany, N. Y. Application May 21, 1954, Serial No. 431,465

3 Claims. (Cl. 273-85) My invention relates to game boards and particularly to a board or table on which a game similar to hockey may be played.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a game board simulating a hockey field and on which a ball, instead of a puck, is used. Another object is to provide a device of this character in which a number of players on each side or team may participate. Since such a game board is of rather substantial size, a further object is to provide one which is so designed that it may be folded to make it more compact for storage purposes.

I accomplish these objects by the means described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the board;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof with portions broken :away;

Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 2 in the plane 3-3;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of Fig. 1 in the plane 44; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of a hockey stick :and holder.

Referring to the drawings- My board comprises an elongated, generally rectangular structure represented by the numeral 1, and having a playing field comprising two plane surfaces 2 and 3 which slope downwardly from the center of the field towards the ends thereof. Thus, a ball placed on either of these surfaces will roll toward the adjacent end of the field. The particular slope and the particular dimensions of the field are not too important but, if the overall length of the field is made say, about 8', the width about 2 /2 and the center of the field made about 4" higher than the ends of the field, a very satisfactory board will be produced.

In order to confine the ball to the field, there are upstanding sides 4 and 5. At the center of each end of the field is a goal, indicated at 6 and 7, which may be formed of netting and which are closed on all sides except those facing the field. Adjacent each end of the field are upstanding walls 8, 9, 10 and 11, which are inwardly inclined towards the goals so that a ball rolling down either half of the field would automatically lodge in the adjacent goal.

To put the ball in play, I have provided a tee-like element 12 (see Figs. 1 and 4) which is normally held flush with the surface of the field by means of the compression spring 13. In order to dislodge the ball, represented by the dot and dash outline 14 in Fig. 5, I have provided a hand lever 15 having a shaft 16 at right angles thereto which is suitably mounted in bearings 17 in the bottom of the field and which, at the other end, is provided with a tee-striking element 18. Thus, if the lever 15 be struck downwardly by a player, the ball 14 will be tossed in the air and will roll towards either of the goals. In order to guard the goals, I have provided on each side of the center of the field, a plurality of longitudinally disposed sticks 19 which are cylindrical and rotatably mounted in bearings 20 on the tops of the upstanding sides of the field. At least one of the bearings, in which eachof the sticks is mounted, is preferably hinged, as best shown in Fig. 5, or is other- Wise provided with some means for opening the hearing so that the stick may be removed from the board. Each of the sticks, except those immediately in front of the goals, are provided with two, depending ball-striking elements 21 which may be formed of sole leather or other similar means. The sticks 19 immediately infront of the goals have only one depending, ball-striking element, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The sticks are substantially longer than the width of the table or field so that, when one of the ball-striking elements thereon is in contact with an upstanding side of the field, the stick is of sufiicient length so that it projects from the other side of the field to form a grip for a player.

As illustrated, there are four sticks over each half of the field so that the game may be played by four players on each team, each of whom will handle a stick which is both slidable and rotatable in the bearings.

When the ball is put in play by striking the lever 15,

the players try to intercept the ball by sliding and rotat-.

ing the sticks 19 so that the striking elements will contact the ball and drive it towards their opponents goal.

While it is not absolutely necessary, I prefer to hinge the haH fields together at the center by hinges 22 secured to the bottom thereof so that the half fields may be folded downwardly together for storage purposes. I also prefer to provide the board with hinged legs 23 at each end thereof and which are provided with folding braces 24.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the words which I have used are words of description rather than of limitation and that changes, within the purview of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention in its broader aspects.

What I claim is:

1. A hockey game board comprising an elongated, generally rectangular structure having a playing field comprising two plane surfaces; means forming a centrally disposed goal at each end of said field; upstanding sides on said structure converging toward said goals from zones adjacent thereto; a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of oppositely disposed bearings on each side of the center of said field carried by said upstanding sides and adapted to receive cylindrical playing sticks both rotatable and longitudinally slidable therein and having at least one ball-hitting element thereon disposed over said playing field; at least one of the bearings of each pair thereof intermediate the center of said field and the pairs immediately adjacent said goals having the upper half thereof hingedly secured to the side wall carrying said bearing; whereby the number of playing sticks available for use during a game may be readily adjusted to conform to the number of players; and said plane surfaces sloping downwardly from the center of said field to said goals; whereby, a free ball on said field will roll into one of said goals unless intercepted by a player guarding that goal with one of said sticks.

2. A hockey game board comprising an elongated, generally rectangular structure having a playing field comprising two, separate, plane-surfaced elements; means forming a centrally disposed goal at each end of said field; upstanding sides on said structure converging toward said goals from zones adjacent thereto; a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of oppositely disposed bearings on each side of the center of said field carried by said upstanding sides and adapted to receive cylindrical playing sticks both rotatable and longitudinally slidable therein andhaying at least onefbalkhitting ele'nient thereon disnosed 49m. .saisl nlay ng mm: 7 4051. a hin e ,cgneestin said'plane-surfaced elements at the center of'said field; whereby the portions-of said board on each side of 'the chier) egfwm y b rfoldql ethe qii s qxa e nu poses; the iupperhzjlf of at legspbne of bearings int'erme'diatefithe CfilltCLQfa! in'g that goel'with'pne of said sticks,

sh pai o cleaned the p rs 7 immediately adjgcent said. goalsbeinghin l y se ured to V V ihertop's ofsaid sidewalls; wherebmih ifiumber 10f Pl ying sticks may be readily changed to conformoto'the nuinber References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS, 7

1,116,593 Johnson 1; Nov. 10, 1914 1,934,381 Slqsson V Nov, 1,1933

FOREIGN PATENTS V 7 r 15 407,403 Great Britain Apr. 17,1935

3. The "strnctufe set 'fo r' th in claim 2 t o gethr "with teelike,inlhssenienqi .saifielg is: 121291. 0 $92: porting a ball thereon; and manually operable means for.

disloc lging a ball resting on said tee to put said ball in play. 

